787 Dreamliner successfully completes fuselage barrel test

The composite technology, design and construction of the 787 was proven during a series of testing scenarios conducted beginning in late 2007 and concluding this week. The tests were performed on a composite fuselage test section and are part of Boeing’s certification efforts for the 787.

Boeing engineers proved the composite barrel design through a series of incremental tests that first took the barrel to limit load, a test condition that simulates the most extreme conditions expected to be experienced in the life of the airplane.

Next, the test article was taken to 150 percent of limit load — a condition called “ultimate load,” the level required for certification.

Finally, the team pushed the composite section past ultimate load well beyond ultimate load to a destruct-condition maneuver beyond two and a half times the force of gravity.